Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to providing information related to a communication session and more particularly to using a presence-based network for providing call notification information such as a message waiting indicator and/or missed call information.
In current systems, a notification of a received voicemail, i.e., a Message Waiting Indicator (MWI), is provided based on messaging notifications such as a Short Message Service (SMS) message, etc sent to a client and canceled via another message when the voicemail message is received or removed. Such an approach is used with both mobile phones and Private Branch eXchanges (PBXs). Residential Plain Old Telephone Systems (POTS) have a local message store whose status is displayed locally and from which messages can be played out. Unified messaging systems instead send the voicemail as an audio attachment to an email. Such systems may still monitor the email server and notify a PBX of the existence of a voice mail and use a message to cancel the MWI when the email is read. However, if the notification is missed, lost, or not understood by the client to which it is sent, it can't be displayed. If another terminal or device is used by an intended recipient, no notification will be provided.
Similarly, lists of missed calls are usually maintained by the terminal or device based on the caller identification of the calls that reached the terminal or device. In particular if the call did not reach the terminal, e.g., if diverted elsewhere or out of coverage area, the indication of a missed call cannot be displayed on that terminal or device. Similarly if multiple terminals or devices are used the information may not be available on the other terminals/devices. Hence, there is a need for improved methods and systems for providing information related to a communication such as call notification information such as a message waiting indicator and/or missed call information.